If you are already vegan/vegetarian or simply interested in a plant-based diet, the following reading list is your fireside of truth. Together, these foundational books bolster your arguments for going veg and further your knowledge about why a plant-based diet is so important and effective, not only for your body but also for the world. Cozy up and get reading!

Reading List Fit for Vegans and Vegetarians

Some of these books on the following reading list are strictly diet and recipe based while others are more in tune with the environmental, political and social effects of a plant-based lifestyle. They are all page turners!

1. “The Raw Food Detox Diet”

Natalia Rose’s debut diet book, “The Raw Food Detox Diet“ is a 5-step plan for vibrant health and maximum weight loss and a must on your bookshelf. Rose focuses on cellular cleansing through efficient digestion, which is ultimately attained through proper food combining, the consumption of fruit and vegetable juices and the elimination of mucous-forming foods. Her protocol complements all lifestyles and does not adhere to any strict dietary “ism”. It is thus a great read for raw foodists, vegan, vegetarians and omnivores alike. The diet is particularly helpful to women, as it is catered to combat candida and bloating. The best part about the book is that it gives you a holistic, functional perspective of your body and does not base its approach in numbers and isolated vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Because of this, it encourages an intuitive relationship with the body. Also check out Rose’s “Raw Food Life Force Energy” and “Detox for Women” books for updated information.

2. “The China Study”

A bible for vegans everywhere, “The China Study” is the result of 20 years worth of research conducted by a partnership of Cornell University, Oxford University and the Chinese Academy of Preventative Medicine. Extensive research shows that a high consumption of animal-based foods is linked to more chronic disease and that a plant-based diet makes for the healthiest people. “The China Study” gives you fodder to your often scientifically scant argument about why eating vegan or vegetarian is the way to go.

3. “Oh She Glows Cookbook”

One of the most popular vegan food blogs, Oh She Glows now has a complementary cookbook. The “Oh She Glow Cookbook” is a culmination of more than 5 years of food blogging by Angela Liddon, who hails from Ontario, Canada. She turned to a vegan diet to overcome an eating disorder and has since been posting the most mouthwatering recipes that even a carnivore couldn’t resist. Her cookbook is full of vegan recipes, both simple and more complex, that are also for the most part gluten, processed and soy free. If you need any excuse to go vegan, Liddon makes it incredibly tempting.

4. “Eat More, Weigh Less”

Cardiologist Dr. Dean Ornish makes a very convincing health argument for vegetarianism. His book “Eat More, Weigh Less” espouses a low-fat diet in order to achieve long-term weight loss, increased energy, better sex and decreased risk of heart attack. Ornish concludes that eating a vegetarian diet with only 10 percent of the total daily calories from fat is the first step to healthier, happier living. He also outlines the benefits of exercise, social support and self-reflection. The book also includes 250 vegetarian recipes to help you along the way.

5. “The Food Revolution”

Dense with facts and irrefutable cases concerning the environment, “The Food Revolution“ approaches diet from a more rounded perspective – one that concerns more than just weight loss and beauty, but the environment, health, the global food crisis and animals too. It is for the body, mind and heart. Robbins is son of the co-founder of Baskin-Robbins. Instead of succeeding his father, Robbins set off to put health and environment before corporate profit margins. “The Food Revolution” delves into a diverse set of topics, including agricultural chemical pollution, diet/disease connection, genetic engineering and inhuman corporate farming practices. His tone is conversational and nonjudgmental, allowing readers to think for themselves and take in the research findings and statics with an open mind. However, by the end of the book, you’ll likely become a new-found vegetarian.

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The following eggnog recipe takes out the sugar, milk, cream, and white sugar and replaces these ingredients with lighter and purer vegan ingredients. Enjoy!

Eggnog is a staple holiday spirit. However, it isn’t the most body friendly of spirits. When trying to stay fit and trim, spending your calories on beverages is a slippery slope — as quick as they may go down, they are just as quick to curb your health goals.

The average eggnog drink will contain about 230 calories, 11 grams of fat, 20 grams of sugar, and alcohol. This recipe for vegan eggnog contains almond milk, maple syrup, coconut butter, and spice to retain the flavors, sweetness, and creaminess of its traditional counterpart.

Vegan, Alcohol-Free Eggnog Recipe

Serves 2

Ingredients

Photo Credit: Cedella Marley

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Before you get too enthusiastic and begin shaping a tofu or nut-based mixture into the shape of a turkey, redefine your arsenal of vegan Thanksgiving recipes so that you are completely satisfied come the holiday dinner.

These plant-based recipes should tantalize your taste buds, fill your belly with joy and be diverse enough in flavor and texture so you don’t feel like something is missing. The following plant-based Thanksgiving recipes are for those of you who don’t have turkey or other animal-based foods on the menu.

One of the slippery slopes inherent in any plant-based diet, especially a vegan or raw food diet, is the ability to become dependent on dense foods, such as nuts, dried fruits, avocados, and soy. Without meat, how do you fill up? In terms of your body’s ability to process certain foods, too many nuts will just fall like a rock in your system and leave you bloated, constipated, and bored. Dried fruit, eaten in excess, will spike blood sugar levels and avocados, despite bearing healthy fats, shouldn’t be over-consume as they are still just that – fats. Soy-based products are also a slippery slope if they are not fermented.

This is where you are required to get creative, using simple fruits and vegetables, greens, legumes, beans, lentils, and grains to fill the void. Choose high-quality plant-based ingredients and you’ll never get bored of, especially during the holiday season.

Scouring the internet for a list of vegan Thanksgiving recipes, I quickly realized that it wouldn’t just be me that I would be satisfying – the recipes I found were simply universal in appeal. The trick is to buff up the side dishes and eating a little bit of each to make a beautifully diverse meal.

1. Warm your tummy with a deep-flavored, lightly-sweet butternut squash soup. Use vegetable broth and coconut milk where suggested and Tasty Kitchen’s recipe for butternut squash soup fits the bill. I love the addition of leeks in this – they offer a crave-worthy overtone that’ll have you licking the bowl and asking for a second round.
2. One of my priorities is a vegan recipe for a classic green bean casserole. This green bean casserole recipe from C’est La Vegan says it all. It’s simple and traditional, but makes the appropriate swaps where a vegan would want them.
3. Next, I was looking for a hearty grain/seed salad that held a multitude of colors and textures – easy on the eyes and figure. This recipe for quinoa salad with pears, baby spinach and chickpeas in a maple vinaigrette checked off some of my favorite holiday flavors in one dish.
4. What’s a Thanksgiving meal without mashed potatoes? No need for the butters and creams, or even the white potato! Add some more nutrition and beautiful color to your mashed potatoes by opting for a pumpkin and sweet potato based variation.
5. As for vegan desserts, there is no reason you can’t indulge to the brim. Make our very own vegan pumpkin pie. Set it aside a fresh-out-of-the-oven vegan apple pie. Serve each slice with a scoop of vegan ice cream, either a coconut-based one that you can find at the grocery store or one you’ve made yourself.

Photo Credit: Tom Censani

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